How to remove My Utility Box browser plugin?

The My Utility Box search hijacker is an example of a common unwanted program; such programs are distributed enormously nowadays. In this article you will see the detailed instructions of “My Utility Box” hijacker removal in several tactics: using anti-malware tools and hand-operated removal technique.

It is better to prevent, than repair and repent!

Removing My Utility Box manually may take hours and may damage your PC in the process. I recommend you to download GridinSoft Anti-Malware for threats removal. Allows to complete scan and cure your PC during the trial period.

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My Utility Box – What is it?

“My Utility Box” search hijacker is a potentially unwanted application (PUA)¹, that is promoted as a plugin for your internet browser. It is typically advertised as an add-on for Chrome or Firefox, that helps to browse some certain details, for instance, about sport events, make your browser a lot more secure, allow downloading of any kind of web video, et cetera. Also, this app adds the “Managed by your organization” feature (on Chrome browsers).

Nevertheless, the “My Utility Box” plugin is pretty useless since all such features are already integrated to your browser and/or Windows. Such advertising mottos are targeted at low-skilled computer users, such as pensioners or schoolchildren. But in some cases even qualified users are getting caught on such a lure. In specific scenarios, this hijacker is dispersed along with free software.

My Utility Box Search Hijacker

Here is a short summary for the My Utility Box hijacker

How harmful is My Utility Box hijacker?

Besides its impracticality, My Utility Box hijacker is also pretty unsafe for web browser utilization. It changes your search engine to its specific – Hmyutilitybox.co, and also alters your background, putting its watermark on your wallpaper (or, sometimes, changing it to default with the specified sign).

Aside from viewable modifications done by My Utility Box hijacker, you can observe that a number of your search questions are redirecting to the untrustworthy websites, full of web links and promotions – so-called doorway websites. Such sites can have web links for malware downloads. The possibility of redirecting rises if you attempt to open Google search page by force.

But all these actions are far more annoying than really harmful. The most significant risk, specifically for people who have a huge amount of confidential information in their internet browsers, is installed in information collecting functionalities. Cookie files, chats, often-visited web pages, as well as other activities are simply collected by My Utility Box hijacker.

How to remove My Utility Box search hijacker?

• Download and install GridinSoft Anti-Malware.
• Open GridinSoft Anti-Malware and perform a “Standard scan“.
• “Move to quarantine” all items.
• Open “Tools” tab – Press “Reset Browser Settings“.
• Select proper browser and options – Click “Reset”.
• Restart your computer.

Browser hijackers are generally rather very easy to remove. In many cases, they have an independent app that can be located in the list of installed software. Due to the particular marketing way of My Utility Box hijacker, it can be quickly tracked and erased by hand. Nevertheless, if you got My Utility Box in the package with a free applications, your computer might be infected with a lot more dangerous malware – trojans, spyware or even ransomware. That’s why I’d recommend you make use of anti-malware tools to deal with the My Utility Box PUA and all various other malware.

You can utilize Microsoft Defender² – it is capable of finding and clearing away a wide range of malware, including named hijacker. But major malware, that might exist on your computer in the discussed instance, can disable the Windows antivirus program by modifying the Group Policies. To prevent such situations, it is better to make use of GridinSoft Anti-Malware.

To detect and delete all unwanted programs on your personal computer with GridinSoft Anti-Malware, it’s better to use Standard or Full scan. Quick Scan is not able to find all the viruses, because it scans only the most popular registry entries and folders.

You can spectate the detected malicious programs sorted by their possible hazard till the scan process. But to choose any actions against malware, you need to wait until the scan is over, or to stop the scan.

To set the action for every spotted malicious or unwanted program, click the arrow in front of the name of the detected malware. By default, all the viruses will be moved to quarantine.

Reverting browser settings to original ones

To revert your browser settings, you are required to use the Reset Browser Settings option. This action cannot be intercepted by any malware, hence, you will surely see the result. This action can be found in the Tools tab.

After choosing the Reset Browser Settings option, the menu will be displayed, where you can specify, which settings will be reverted to the original.

Deleteing My Utility Box hijacker manually

Besides using anti-malware software for browser restoration, you may choose the “Reset browser settings” function, which is usually embedded in all popular browsers.

To reset Edge, do the following steps :

1. Open “Settings and more” tab in upper right corner, then find here “Settings” button. In the appeared menu, choose “Reset settings” option :



2. After picking the Reset Settings option, you will see the following menu, stating about the settings which will be reverted to original :

For Mozilla Firefox, do the next actions :

1. Open Menu tab (three strips in upper right corner) and click the “Help” button. In the appeared menu choose “troubleshooting information” :



2. In the next screen, find the “Refresh Firefox” option :


After choosing this option, you will see the next message :

If you use Google Chrome

1. Open Settings tab, find the “Advanced” button. In the extended tab choose the “Reset and clean up” button :



2. In the appeared list, click on the “Restore settings to their original defaults” :



3. Finally, you will see the window, where you can see all the settings which will be reset to default :
   

Opera can be reset in the next way

1. Open Settings menu by pressing the gear icon in the toolbar (left side of the browser window), then click “Advanced” option, and choose “Browser” button in the drop-down list. Scroll down, to the bottom of the settings menu. Find there “Restore settings to their original defaults” option :



2. After clicking the “Restore settings…” button, you will see the window, where all settings, which will be reset, are shown :

As an afterword, I want to say that time plays against you and your PC. The activity of browser hijacker must be stopped as soon as possible, because of the possibility of other malware injection. This malware can be downloaded autonomously, or offered for you to download in one of the windows with advertisements, which are shown to you by the hijacker. You need to act as fast as you can.

1. More information about PUAs
2. Detailed review of Microsoft Defender